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Old Sweater-by Jess Hall

“The light keeps shining in the dark, and darkness has never put it out.” (John 1:5, CEV)

Depression

An old familiar sweater

Its weight heavy, wearing a hole in my soul

Tried throwing it away

But found my hands lifting it back out

Not wanting to let it go

Tried stuffing it in a box

But found it spilling out

Stretched, grown too large to ever be locked away

Tried ignoring its existence

But its dark colors shone bright

Calling me to reach out and touch its softness

And so I gave up and gave in

Blinded as I pulled it over my head

Smothered as the woven yarn surrounded me in its net

As I tugged, the fibers stretched

Separating, allowing starry pinpricks of light

To filter through, shining into my eyes

Calling me to pause and pull up instead of down

Pull off instead of on

Looking up and letting go

Letting the sweater slide through my fingers

And fall to the floor

As I reached out to the source of light

Shining pure and bright with love

He was there with me

Holding out a shimmering robe of righteousness

Reaching out was all I had to do

He clothed me with salvation

Wrapping His Righteousness around me

He picked up my old sweater

Pulling on its burden over His Shoulders

Every hole, snag, and tear His Light shone through

Until He turned its darkness into His Light

Making it disappear into His Glory

And it was mine no more

Surrounded with His Comfort

Joy and gladness I finally found

In His Presence, as I praised His Name

“I delight greatly in the LORD, my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness…” (Isaiah 61:10a, NIV)

(Zechariah 3:4b, 6b, NIV; Isaiah 51:3, NKJV; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21, NIV)


~Jess



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